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Replacement manifolds - Brand

dhcomp

dhcomp

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Hey guys,

I have a BAD exhaust leak on my drivers side exhaust manifold, and think the manifold is probably cracked. Is there an easy way to identify this? I have gaskets in these manifolds, and there is clearly an exhaust sound leak right at the manifolds somewhere.

Plan is to pull them off, but have a replacement on hand if the ones i remove are cracked.

Recommendations for brand of replacement? Not ready to step up to headers on this motor.

Rockauto sells APC and Dorman, both about $90 a side.

Thanks!
 
obijuan said:
jb weld sells crack fixer.
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True statement. But on a motor i run as hard as this one, i dont' want to have to deal with it opening up again. And totally worth my time to spend $50 to not have to deal with it again.

Plus, taking these thing off is a PITA when you have to remove the PS pulley from the pump.
 
Headers are your friend for added power and since you're looking for more anyway why not put headers on it since you have to deal with this exhaust leak?
 
4X4HIGH said:
Headers are your friend for added power and since you're looking for more anyway why not put headers on it since you have to deal with this exhaust leak?
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Have been going back and forth on this one. Didn't want to spend money on nice headers, only to swap motors shortly down the road. But since it seems like i'll probably stick with a 350, maybe its time to get headers. Also, have hesitated because i'll have to get a new y-pipe made. And wasn't too sure how i'd get the truck from my house, where i put the headers on, to the shop, where they'll hookup the new y pipe. Besides calling AAA and saying "I don't' know what happened, but its really loud now... :haha:"

Tried to search the header threads a minute ago, but there are tons of them. What was your recommendation, scott? Brand/model wise for decent, middle of the road headers.
 
These are what i'm running on my rig and i'm very happy with them. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BIG-91830FLT/ Yes they are shorties but they don't interfere with shackle bolts and they don't hang down low to get caught up on stuff. They are designed for 88-94 trucks but with a small bit of grinding on the driver side frame rail they fit without issue. The next time you're in Fremont give me a call and you can check them out in person.
 
And wasn't too sure how i'd get the truck from my house, where i put the headers on, to the shop, where they'll hookup the new y pipe.
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I had the same problem when I put my headers on. Simple cheap solution.... I got a couple clamps and and about 4' of cheap cheap flex pipe. Cut the flex pipe in half and attached to each header. Then I clamped on a couple junk mufflers I had and wired them up. Yes I used bailing wire! Fired it up and drove it 20 miles to the exhaust shop and told the guy to through away the abortion I had just created when he was done.
 
I always seemed to steer away from shorties, not sure why. Does a shorty header hook-up to the factory ypipe, or am i confused?

If it really is just that small amount of grinding (and essentially, our trucks are the same ahead of the firewall), i may just order up a set.
 
You will have to have a new Y pipe made. Shorties aren't as good as a full length header but they are definately much better than the restrictive factory exhaust manifolds and don't give issues like a full length do on a 4x4. I have a local muffler shop here that does AWESOME work. They've been doing all my work for the last 15 years or so.
 
4X4HIGH said:
You will have to have a new Y pipe made. Shorties aren't as good as a full length header but they are definately much better than the restrictive factory exhaust manifolds and don't give issues like a full length do on a 4x4. I have a local muffler shop here that does AWESOME work. They've been doing all my work for the last 15 years or so.
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If shorties are what you run, they've got to be good enough for my setup.

PM me that muffler shop info, and i'll figure out a way to get my truck there after install.

Thanks scott, your help is appreciated as always!
 
Ordered. God its expensive to hang out with you guys during the day:doah::haha:

Just gotta keep telling myself its cheaper than a new motor, car payments, or paying someone to do it.
 
The muffler shop is Guaranteed Mufflers and their phone number is 510-794-7222. Ask for Alan he is the owner and tell him Scott from the old Fremont Mmachine sent you there. I would recommend that before you go there you contact me and see if i'm able to go down there with you.
 
4X4HIGH said:
The muffler shop is Guaranteed Mufflers and their phone number is 510-794-7222. Ask for Alan he is the owner and tell him Scott from the old Fremont Mmachine sent you there. I would recommend that before you go there you contact me and see if i'm able to go down there with you.
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Will do! Any chance you have a picture of where you modified your frame? That is the only part that is making me a little nervous. If it wasn't for that, i would install the manifolds somewhere really close to the shop, so i didn't have to move the truck with open manifolds.
 
I'll take a pic in a minute for you. If you want to bring it out to my house and swap the manifolds for the headers that would be cool then you're only about 4 miles from the muffler shop. I can get you there on back streets even.

There is about a 1/8" clearance between the frame rail and the plug on the header tube. The plug is where the 02 sensor used to be in the header so you have to have an 02 bung welded into the Y pipe just below the collector. I only had to grind maybe 1/4" of the frame rail in that short distance to clear that plug.

Driver side frame rail.jpg
 
Dang! and here I am trying to get rid of a 1yr old set of stock manifolds. They've been in storage for 6 of those months. I bought them originally to replace a broken one then went to headers.
 
Looks good. Remind me what you used for a plug? I read it somewhere recently, but cant' find it now.... :doah:
 
I used an oil drain plug, it is metric 18mm x 1.5. I tightened the piss out of the plug then cut the head off so it was as thin as possible so i didn't have to grind as much on the frame rail. You could just as easily weld the hole shut if you want and that would be even less grinding of the frame rail since you seem so worried about it.
 
Despite this epic hangover, i managed to get the headers on today. Plugged that o2 port, and ground it down farther than you did. Didn't even have to clearance the frame rail doing it this way.

Will post pics when i get the rest finished up. Going to get it towed to the exhaust shop for a ypipe tomorrow.

THanks for all your help!
 
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